Oh, and a promise.

[conuly]

I vow to never go up to you and call you a lying liar who lies just because you tell your kids about Santa or the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy and present these as fact (even though that *is* lying I understand that you probably have the best of intentions, anyway) so long as you promise not to say to my face that people who do otherwise are denying their kids a childhood, are joyless individuals, and clearly don't let their children pretend anything for any reason whatsoever. And I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from making pleas to "innocence" - that's a pretty word that's kinda hard to pin down, like a butterfly.

Because that's just annoying.

So, yeah. You refrain from telling me all the little judgments you make regarding my views and/or motivations; and I'll do likewise. (Truth is, I don't go around judging people for indulging in popular ritual lying. I actually don't *care* that much. I just get really annoyed when those same people I'm not judging get on my case (or the case of people who agree with me) for being "self-righteous" or for whatever other reason they can come up with. And then all bets are off - because, as I've said before, if I don't like lying to children I sure as heck have no compunction about being honest with you.)

Comments

[conuly]

Pretending, I'd say. Unless the kids are likely to believe you and you know it, in which case you're not playing fair.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

Say, what could it mean when a nine-year-old can't tell that such a remark is joking?

[conuly]

That they have no sense of humor.

Or, potentially, that they're pretty strongly autistic in that way.

Or that their next door neighbor is actually crazy.

Or that they have no sense of science. You know, MtS has given me no faith in kids these days....

At any rate, pulling the leg of somebody who has no way of recognizing even blatant jokes really isn't fair.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

It was actually a similar remark, not identical....

Dad: "And Marveen put some jams and jellies in with your school clothes, too."
Son: "She DID?" [in horrified tone indicating he was visualizing a complete mess]
Dad: "Yeah, she just...dumped them into the box and stirred them around!" [in pseudo-sarcastic, joking tone of voice]

...son took him seriously. It kind of worried me.

[pewter-wings.livejournal.com]

These kids are Autistic. But they got it. Mainly because I made it soooo over the top. They giggled.

And how did you know our neighbor is crazy?

*joking, joking*

[pewter-wings.livejournal.com]

I've been doing it to every kid that comes in my house for years, and sometimes I go to other people house and do it there to.

I do to make kids really think about what people are telling them. To learn to think a little more critically.

And it has worked. Every one of those kids now can give as good as they take. They have a sense of humor and don't just blindly follow.

Isn't that the point?